Chicago Cubs - PlayerWatch

January 18, 2013|Reuters

1B Anthony Rizzo will play for Team Italy in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Rizzo is an American of Italian descent. "It's a pretty cool opportunity to get," Rizzo said. "Speaking with (Cubs manager) Dale (Sveum) and the management, they're fully supportive of it. People can say the risk factor and getting injured, but it's just like spring training. I play every game as hard as I can. It's not different on that standpoint." Rizzo should provide the Italian team with power. He hit 38 homers last year between the Cubs and Class AAA Iowa.

SS Javier Baez was a participant at a Cubs "rookie camp" for minor-leaguers held recently in Chicago. Baez, the Cubs' first-round draft pick in 2011, batted .333 with 12 homers at low Class A Peoria last year before struggling at high Class A Daytona, batting .188. Baez said a hand injury that hampered him last year is better. The Cubs say Baez, 20, will remain a shortstop even though Starlin Castro looks to be a fixture there for years with the big club. "I think all of us who saw him play last year every day felt the same way, like, 'Wow, this kid can really play short. This young man can really play short,'" scouting and player development boss Jason McLeod said.

RHPs Scott Baker and Matt Garza both are coming off elbow injuries, with Baker having had Tommy John surgery last year. The Cubs will be cautious with both in spring training, but they feel Baker and Garza will be ready to go at the start of spring and when the regular season opens. "I think our depth gives us the luxury of Baker, for example, if Baker needs an extra week or something or needs a rehab start because he's not fully ready to go deep in a game, we can do that with our depth," team president Theo Epstein said. "Garza, we expect to be a full go at spring training and ready to start the year."

OF Nate Schierholtz looks to have the inside track on the starting right field job, but he could get a push from Dave Sappelt, a September call-up who enjoyed a good winter-ball season. The Cubs signed Schierholtz to a free agent deal this winter, and they obtained Sappelt from last winter in the trade that sent LHP Sean Marshall to Cincinnati. "That's all up in the air," manager Dale Sveum said. "With Schierholtz, the one thing Schierholtz has done his whole career is hit lefties really well, and a pretty decent sample, too. He's over .300 against left-handed starters in his career in a pretty good sample. That's all wait and see. Sapp's had a pretty good winter ball. He did a really nice job for us last September, too. That all works itself out."

RHP Matt Garza and the Cubs agreed to a one-year, $10.25 million contract, avoiding arbitration. Garza had a 3.91 ERA before being shut down in mid-July due to an elbow injury. "Garza, we expect to be a full go at spring training and ready to start the year," team president Theo Epstein said.